What are archetypal characters?

Archetypal characters are super simple character types that appear again and again in stories, like the same kinds of toys you find in a toy box.

Imagine your toy box has a red fire truck, a blue superhero, and a yellow dinosaur. Even though they're different, each one is a kind of friend, someone who shows up to play in almost every game. That’s like archetypal characters: people in stories who have certain traits that make them easy to recognize.

There are many kinds of these friends:

• The Hero, who saves the day, like your favorite superhero.
• The Villain, who causes trouble, like the big boss in a video game.
• The Wise Old Person, like Grandma, who knows all the answers.

These characters show up in different stories, but they always act the same way. That’s why you can tell what kind of story it is just by looking at who shows up!